Windmill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

F. D. WINKLEY.

WINDMILL.

Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

WITNESSES! INVENTOR I 55;; ?%g 5912' EMWWMM.

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 2' Sheets-Sheet 2. I. D. WINKLEY.

WINDMILL. No. 391,57 Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

55 ATTORNEY UNITED Sra'rns Fa rnrvr tries.

FRANK D. WVINKLEY, OF MADISON, \VISOONSIN.

WlNDlVllLL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 391,571, dated October23,1888.

Serial No. 199,266.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK D. WINKLEY, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin WVindmills; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to vertical'sectional selfgoverning wind-wheels;and it consists, first, in the peculiar construction of the frame-workof the wheel, by which I attain a maximum of strength and durabilitywith the minimum of materials.

My invention relates, further, to a vertical wind-wheel constructed insuch a manner that the wind-wheel arms are subjected to compressionstrains only, the strains in lines parallel to the wheels axis and thosein lines perpendicular to the same being opposed, and counteracted bystay rods supporting said wheel-arms, and arranged as hereinafterdescribed.

It consists, further, in a certain arrangement of the parts, hereinafterto be described, by which the speed of the wind-wheel is regulatedautomatically.

Figure 1 is a side view, also partly in section, showing the wind'wheelshaft with its connections and one of the vane sections thrown out ofgear. Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1 without the vane-section and its accompanying frame-Work. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1, showing thewind-wheel out of gear, a portion of the vanes being cutaway by passinga plane through the line a? 00 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan View of oneof the windwheel sections in gear. Fig. 5 is a rear view of thegoverning-Wheel, the opposite or front View of which is shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 6 is a detail showing the method. of connecting the governing rodto the vane sections.

In the drawings similar letters, Where they occur, refer to like partsthroughout the several views.

A is the tower-casting,adapted to be secured in the usual way to thetowertimbcrs. .(Not shown in the drawings.)

B is a pivot shell or casting adapted to revolve inside thetower-casting A, the side end of the tower-casting and secured to thelower extension of the pivot shell by a setscrew. (See Fig. 1.) Theupper part of the pivot shell or casting is extended into a hori- Zontalhollow arm, 0, and supports the wheelshaft D, at theinner end of whichis the crankdisk (Z, attached by means of a crank-pin to theconnecting-rod E, which is similarly connected at its lower end with ahollow plunger, F, through the center of which passes the regulatingwirc6, connecting the chainf with the elbow-lever G, all that part of themechanism just described being protected from the weather by thebox-like shield H. The elbowlever G is pivoted to an ear extending fromthe pivot-shell B, and supports at its outer end a weight, IV, in themanner that such appliances are ordinarily attached in this class ofmills. A

To an upward extension of the lever G, I pivot, by means of the bolt 2',the cross-bar g, at the outer ends of which are secured the rods h h,engaging with ears extending from opposite sides of the sliding collarI. The collar I is provided at its outer end with a re cessed head orinelosing-rim, which engages over a corresponding circular rim on theinner end of the sleeve K, by which means the latter may be moved backand forth over the hollow arm 0 with the sliding collar I, at the sametime being adapted to revolve freely about the wheel-shaft. The rods JJ, pivoted to ears on opposite sides of the sleeve K, extend forward ina vertical plane parallel with the wheel-shaft D, and engage withangle-levers cast as a part of the sector-gears M and N. Thesesectorgears are journaled on arms extending at right angles fromopposite sides of 5 ICO Lin

shaft, the relative position of the governingrods R, in operativeconnection with the spokes of the governing-wheel J, is shown by thedotted lines, Figs. 3 and 5. If the wheel J were to rotate farther thanthe limit thus shown by the dotted lines referred to, the tendency wouldbe for the vane-sections to dish outward from the plane of thewheel-disk, to which they are normally confined. The governing-wheel Jis held to this limit as follows: The forward or outer end of the collarL, rigidly secured to the driVeshaft, as hereinbefore described, isslotted (see Fig. 1) through a portion of its circumference. The rearface of the hub of the governing-wheel rotates freely over the forwardend of the collar L, and is provided with a clutch or lug, which extendsinto said slot in the front face of the collar L. When the vane sectionsare closed in gear, said lug strikes against the shoulder of said slotat the instant the vanesections close into a continuous disk at rightangles to the wheel-shaft, thereby limiting the motion of thevane-sections in this direction and preventing them from dishingoutward. When the vane-sections are thrown out parallel to thewheelshaft, they are held to this position and limited as to furthermotion in this direction by the goveruingrods R, which in this positionare radial to the center of the governingwheel J, being a radialcontinuation of the spokes of the same,to which they are respectivelyattached. (See Fig. 1.) It is obvious that if any further rotation ofthe governing-wheel in this direction were possible it would simplyresult in drawing the respective vane-sections in again; so for thispurpose the lug need not necessarily be arranged to strike the op positelimit of the slot. I prefer to accomplish this result by means of thegoverningrods R in the connection described. The clutch arrangement justdescribed is a wellknown mechanical device, and I make no claim to thisparticular feature as being new and patentable. This limit is reachedwhen the vane-sections stand out parallel to the drive-shaft D. At thesame instant that this limit is reached the governing-rods Rrespectively assume the position radial to the center, as shown in Figs.1 and 3.

The number of radial spokes in the governing-wheel J will be determinedby the number of vane-sections in the wind-wheel. The inner or rear faceof this hub is provided with suitable sector-gears on opposite sides ofthe wheelshaft adapted to mesh into and operate wit-h the sector-gears Mand N, respectively. By the disposition of the sector-gearing on opposite sides of the wheel-shaft, as described, one set of gearssupplements and assists the action of the other, thus doing away withany cramping orjamming of the parts and securing quick and responsiveaction in the governing device. The hub, radial spokes, and sector-gearsof the governing-wheel I prefer to make together in a single casting.

The wind-wheel hub proper, l, and the diskhub O are united by a sleeve,preferably in a single casting,and keyed to the wheel-shaft D. Thedrive-pin 1), extending through the periphery of the disk-hub O and thesleeve K, communicates to the latter the rotary motion of thewheelshaft. The preferably radial spokes 7c of the Wind-wheel are made,preferably, of gas-piping, which I prefer to screw into the wheel-hub P,as shown in Fig. 1, and are braced by the stay-rods Z, bolted at theirouter ends to tips a screwed on the outer ends of said spokes, and attheir inner ends to the disk-hub O. The point of connection of each ofthe stay-rods Z with the disk-hub 0, instead of being in the radialplane passing through the shaft D and the corresponding spoke 7c, is atone side of said radial plane and on a line approximately at rightanglesthereto. The stayrod therefore lies wholly in a plane parallel to theshaft D and approximately tangent to the circular disk-hub at the pointof attachment of the stay-rod thereto. By means of this construction thestay-rod braces the spoke of the windwheel not only againstwind-pressure parallel to the wind-wheel shaft, but also against strainsresulting from any resistance to the rotation of the wheel-shaft. Thewindpower applied to the rotation of the wheelshaft is transmitted to itthrough the spokes 7c, and as any resistance to such rotation must beovercome by rotary pressure on the spokes it is evidently an advantageto brace them against rotary strains as well as against strains in theline of the shaft. Heretofore each of the stay-rods of a windwheel framehas been in the same plane with reference to the wheelshaft as thecorresponding spoke, and has consequently offered no resistance torotary strains on the frame. My present construction overcomes thisdefect and greatly strengthens the frame without increasing the amountof mate rial employed therein. The spokes 7c are further secured attheir outer ends by the tie-rods m, bolted through eyes in the tips n.The windvanes 0 are permanently mortised into wooden cross-pieces, thevanes of. each section converging toward the center, so that when ingear they form one continuous flat disk. The cross-piece or swivel-bar Qis provided with a suitable casting secured to each end thereof, each ofsaid castings terminating in a pin, which extends into a suitableopening in each of the tips referred to, and is secured in position bytightening up the tie rod m. The swivel-bar Q is so adjusted withreference to the vane-section as to divide the latter into two equalareas for receiving the wind-pressure. The inner crossbar, T, is madeextra heavy in order to facilitate the automatic regulation of thewind-wheel by employing the centrifugal motion for throwing out the vanesections when the wheel revolves beyond a certain rate of speed.

The governing-rod R is attached to an eye in the outer end of one of theshort radial spokes of the governing-wheel J, and is swiveled by meansof an adjustable link-connection at its IIO outer end to an ear or lugextending from a radial crossbar, V, preferably of metal, which isfirmly secured to the crosspieces T and Q on the same side thereof asthe vanes 0. This radial bar V is 1n ade, preferably, rather flat andelliptical in cross-section, its flat face between the points ofattachment on the cross-pieces T and Q standing parallel with andbetween the adjacent vanes 0, so as to impede as little as possible theaction of the wind on the vanes. The link-connection at the outer end ofthe governing-rod R is loosely swiveled over the ear on the radial barV,in order to allow sufficiently free play of the jaws of said link toprevent any cramping or binding of these parts at any point of themachines operation, either in gear or out of gear.

The tierods m are bolted through suitable eyes in the tips n and unitethe outer ends of the spokes It, thus forming the containing-rim of thewind-wheel. By dishing the spokes 7c outward I am enabled to stay themmuch more securely than if they stood at right 'angles to thewheelshaft, for while the stay-rods Z are just as effective inpreventing the spokes It, thus dished, from being forced outward by thewind-pressure, the tie-rodsm serve also as stayrods to prevent thespokes from being forced inward and backward or wrong side out by anysudden change in the direction of the wind, as may often happen, for itis obvious that if the spokes 70 were to be thus forced backward towardor into a plane at right angles to the wheel-shaft the outer ends of thespokes It must spread farther apart, and it is by resisting thistendency that the tie-rods m perform the double function of a rimholding the vanesections together, also of stay-rods to resist anybackward wind-pressure. If the spokes 7; were inserted in the hub l? atright angles to the wheetshaft, the tie-rods m could not, for obviousreasons, perform this added 1 function of supplemental stay-rods againstback ward pressure.

It is evident that the improvement resulting from the novel arrangementof the stay-rods hereinbefore described is wholly independent of thedishing of the spokes. If the spokes were set at right angles to thewheel-shaft, so as to lie in a single plane, the placing of thestay-rods in planes diverging from the radial planes of the respectivespokes would be as advantageous as in the structure shown and described,and I do not intend, therefore, to limit my invention in that respect toany special arrangement of the spokes with reference to the shaft.

The description just given of one of the vane-sections and the adjacentparts is similar in all respects to that of the other five sections,(not shown in the drawings;) but I do not restrict myself to anyparticular number of sections in the wind-wheel.

The disk-hub O, hub P, and their connecting-sleeve, the spokes 7c, setin the hub, the stay-rods Z, and the tie-rods m form a single permanentrigid structure whose parts are always in the same relative positions.No one of these parts has any function whatever in the regulation of themill, and, in fact, the entire wheel-frame coacts with the other partsof the mill precisely as if it' were formed from a single piece of metalor of a series of pieces riveted together.

The wind-wheel operates on the leeward side of the tower, turning aboutthe latter with the pivot-shell B, according to the direction of thewind.

Having described the construction of my machine, I will now explain howit operates. \Vhen the machine is in gear, the vane-sections togetherform a flat disk in a vertical plane at right angles to the direction ofthe wheelshaft. As the wind increases, the speed of the revolvingwind-wheel also increases, until. the centrifugal force begins to openthe inner ends of the vane-sections toward the tower and against thewind, the swivel-bar Q turning on its pivots journaled in the spoketipsa. At the instant the vane-sections begin to dish or open inward thismotion is communicated to the governing-rods B, which revolve thegoverning-wheel J in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1. Thismotion, continuing, reaches its limit when the vanesections have openedinward through an angle of about ninety degrees, when the governing-rodswill be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the original position ofthe same and the are through which the governingwheel turns being shownby thebroken lines in Figs. 3 and 5. The governing-wheel J, revolvingthrough the are indicated, communicates its motion through thesector-gearing to the rods jj and h h, raising the weight WV to theposition shown in Fig. 1, further motion in this direction being limitedby the clutches or lugs on the collar L and governing-wheel J,respectively, engaging, as shown in Fig. 2. The angular motion of theweight W in this operation is shown by the broken line, Fig. 1. It isobvious that when the force of the wind abatcs so that it no longerequals the opposing force of the weight WV the latter will fall to itsfirst position, reversing the operation of throwing the vanesections outof the wind, as just described, and bringing them back into gear in theform ofa plane disk, as before. In this position the cross-piece T ofthe vane-section bears against the governing-rod R. The wire e, attachedto the chain f, enables the operator to throw the machine in or out ofgear at will.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

l. The combination, with a wind-wheel sh aft, of a wheel-hub and acircular disk-hub rigidly connected and mounted thereon, a series ofradial spokes set in said wheel-hub, and a corresponding series ofstay-rods, each having its outer end fastened to the outer end of one ofsaid spokes and its inner end fastened to the periphery of saiddisk-hub, said stay-rod lying wholly in a plane parallel to thewheel-shaft and approximately tangent to the disk-hub at IIO the pointof attachment of the rod thereto, and being inclined with reference tothe plane of the spoke and shaft in the direction of the winds rotaryforce upon the wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Thecombination,withawind-wheel shaft, of a wheel-hub and a disk-hubrigidly connected and mounted thereon, a series of radial spokes set insaid wheelhnb and dished outwardly and away from the normalwind-pressure, a corresponding series of tie-rods connecting the outerends of said spokes, and a corresponding series of stay-rods, eachhaving its outer end fastened to the outer end of one of said spokes andits inner end fastened to theperipheryofsaiddisk-hub,andlying wholly ina plane parallel to the wind-wheel shaft and approximately tangent tothe disk-hub at the point of attachment of the stay-rod thereto.

3. In a windmill of the class described, as an automatic governingdevice, the weight \V, attached to the elbow-lever G, )ivoted to theshell 13, in combination with the wheel-shaft D, cross bar 9, rods h h,collar I, sleeve K, rods jj, sector-gears M N, governing-wheel J,governing-rods It, and the series of vanesections adapted to rotate ontheir respective swivel-bars Q, journaled in the spoke-tips a,

the inner end of each of said vane-seetions be ing weighted, whereby theautomatic regulation of the wind-wheel is facilitated, all as set forth,and for the uses and purposes mentioned.

4. In a Windmill of the class described, the collar L, rigidly securedto the shaft D, and provided with arms extending at right angles fromopposite sides of the same, in combination with the sector-gears M andN, respectively provided with angle-levers standing at right angles tosaid arms and on opposite sides of the same, and the governing-wheel J,provided on its inner hub-faee with corresponding gears operativelyconnected with said gears M and N, whereby the weight Wand therespective vane-sections are made to operate reciprocally on each other,thereby co-opcrating to govern the machine automatically, all as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

FRANK D. VVINKLEY.

Witnesses:

GHAs. G. NIAYERS, WM. H. MIHILLs.

